Event

Date

Improper Motion Needs Proper Action

12.03.08

Palestine Motion

01.04.08

A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OUR CAMPAIGNS

In March of this year our Prime Minister Kevin Rudd introduced a bi-partisan motion in Parliament congratulating Israel on its 60th anniversary and acknowledging Australia’s historic support for the partition of Palestine in order to establish the Jewish state. Completely ignored in this unprecedented celebration of Israel was the unjust 1947 UN decision to partition historic Palestine which led to the dispossession of the Palestinian people and which is till ongoing today.  Nor was any mention made of the immense suffering to the Palestinian people that reverberates to this day as a direct consequence of that decision and subsequent Israeli policies.

In order to highlight this unprecedented lauding of a state that continues to dispossess and occupy the Palestinian people in our parliament, a newspaper advertisement “Not in our name” was placed in “the Australian”, with signatures of supporters, who chose to make it known they were unhappy with our parliament being used in this way.

Given the newly elected Rudd government’s supposed commitment to an even-handed policy of the Israel-Palestine conflict it was felt a separate motion acknowledging the suffering of the Palestinian people was now in order to mark the 60 years of their ongoing dispossession.

Letters, endorsed by a wide range of groups and eminent Australians were sent to all members of parliament seeking support for a bipartisan motion to recognise 60 years of Palestinian suffering around the time of the Palestinian al-Nakba of 15 May. When no response was received another series of advertisements were placed in several Australian newspapers inviting people to write letters of endorsement for the requested motion.

We urge all supporters to write to the Prime Minister asking for balance and requesting action on a bi-partisan motion acknowledging the suffering of the Palestinian people. Letters and related advertisements to both campaigns can be viewed in detail here.